Beware green belt’s irresistible lure to developers

THE article by Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew concerning the threat to the green belt caused by the exaggerated housing need figure used by Leeds in its core strategy (Yorkshire Post, October 30) was an excellent and accurate overview of the situation.

I am sure that the threat to the green belt was not an intended consequence of the mistaken attempt by Leeds to boost its image by claiming an unrealistic growth rate, but the threat is very real. To developers, the prospect of being able to build houses on green belt land instead of the readily available brown field sites nearer the city, but which happen to be both nearer to employment opportunities and more affordable, is irresistible.

In fact one developer was even heard to assert confidently that, “Nobody wants to buy houses in Leeds”, meaning of course the former City of Leeds and a confusion brought about because of the use by the council of “Leeds” to cover the whole of the metropolitan district.

It is a sad thought though that the London-based David Cameron and Eric Pickles, the only people with the power to really influence the situation, are unlikely to be regular readers of the Yorkshire Post.

From: Mike Fitton, Burnsall.

HAVING already cut street cleaning, verge cutting and pothole mending and now targeting the bus service is there anything else North Yorkshire County Council can axe? Or I have I missed that there still is a service that they provide in this area? We live and have a holiday flat in the village of Burnsall on the Ilkley-Grassington bus service that North Yorkshire County Council are proposing to axe. Our customers rely heavily on this service.

The holiday flat not only augments our pension income but provides employment and supports trade in other local businesses. Losing the service would be a major economic blow both to ourselves and the area in general. If we are forced into closure that will be at least one business rate payer less.